Question regarding Calorie Goals

jovalleau

Hello, all! This is my first topic at MFB. I've been using the program vigorously for about a month, now, though I've had it for much longer (embarrassingly, I admit). I'm seeing results, but I still have a lingering question.

I posted this as a response to another thread in another forum, thinking it was something else:


After entering all the profile/goal information as accurately as I can, I have a default calorie goal of 2100. I was on the exercise bike for 45 minutes, which burned 1122 calories. I now have 3222 calories from which I can consume. Should I aim for that many calories, or should I come closer to the 2100? I feel like I eat enough when I reach 2100 most of the time, but sometimes I go over that limit.

At the same time, I lift weights 3 times a week, too (in addition to another 30 minutes on the bike) When I do, I end up with roughly 3100 total calories available. If I'm trying to lose weight, yet gain lean muscle, should I come closer to the 3100 calories on those days?

For what it's worth, I utilize protein/creatine shakes twice a day with a 3rd meal and some small snacks on any given day.

Thanks for any help!

PS: I'm following the same weight routine I had in college just a few short years ago. I was in damn fine shape at the time, so I'm hoping the same routine, plus a bit of cardio will get back to my "fighting weight."

Edit: I found this post by googling, so I didn't realize it was probably asked in the wrong forum before hand.

PikaKnight

MFP is designed for its users to eat back their exercise calories. The formula can be found on your goals page. When MFP gives you your calorie goals, it's already at a deficit.

Keep in mind that the burns are an estimate and if you decide to use an HRM, do -30% to account for inaccuracies. Also, if you don't have a food scale, get one. Much more reliable than measuring cups.

xxnellie146xx

Where did you get the calories burned from? It is highly unlikely that you burned 1122 calories in 45. I would say it's closer to 500.

jovalleau

I got the calorie figure from the MFP app. Cycling, 16-20 MPH (Very fast) for 45 minutes, which gave me 1122 calories (the bike itself registered just south of 1400 calories (stationary bike, resistance setting 11 of 12)

jovalleau

MFP is designed for its users to eat back their exercise calories. The formula can be found on your goals page. When MFP gives you your calorie goals, it's already at a deficit.

Keep in mind that the burns are an estimate and if you decide to use an HRM, do -30% to account for inaccuracies. Also, if you don't have a food scale, get one. Much more reliable than measuring cups.

What is an HRM?

xxnellie146xx

MFP is designed for its users to eat back their exercise calories. The formula can be found on your goals page. When MFP gives you your calorie goals, it's already at a deficit.

Keep in mind that the burns are an estimate and if you decide to use an HRM, do -30% to account for inaccuracies. Also, if you don't have a food scale, get one. Much more reliable than measuring cups.

What is an HRM?

HRM= Heart Rate Monitor.

AzGilrock

Yeah I think 1122 sounds high. I usually divide the MFP estimate in half for cycling. Plus a stationary bike is typically not as hard as riding a real bike which throws off the estimates. I would say eat 100 calories for every 10 minutes you spend on that bike.

rajathwalharris

I agree with the others, I do spin classes all the time which is vigerous cycling, and is known to burn a max of 600 calories in an hour......

jovalleau

Don't trust the MFP calorie-burn estimator... It's wayyyyy inaccurate!

If it's THAT inaccurate, then I should probably still aim for the 2100 base calories, no?

bert16

The people who responded that MFP is set up to allow you to eat back your exercise calories are correct; it absolutely is. That being said, you'll find that this (whether or not to eat back your exercise calories) is a subject of much heated debate with an almost religious fervour here on the message boards.

I also agree with the poster who pointed out that MFP does tend to overestimate calorie burns; a lot of people use a heart rate monitor with a chest strap (Polar is a popular brand) that allow you to track your own HR and the watch then translates that into calories burnt. Those estimates can also be a bit high, though some swear by them.

Overall, you probably just need to experiment and see what works for you. I certainly would never force myself to eat 1100 extra calories just to hit my target, but if you burned an extra 1100 calories above your MFP goal and are feeling hungry, you probably don't need to worry about eating something extra.

Hope that helps!

jovalleau

The people who responded that MFP is set up to allow you to eat back your exercise calories are correct; it absolutely is. That being said, you'll find that this (whether or not to eat back your exercise calories) is a subject of much heated debate with an almost religious fervour here on the message boards.

I also agree with the poster who pointed out that MFP does tend to overestimate calorie burns; a lot of people use a heart rate monitor with a chest strap (Polar is a popular brand) that allow you to track your own HR and the watch then translates that into calories burnt. Those estimates can also be a bit high, though some swear by them.

Overall, you probably just need to experiment and see what works for you. I certainly would never force myself to eat 1100 extra calories just to hit my target, but if you burned an extra 1100 calories above your MFP goal and are feeling hungry, you probably don't need to worry about eating something extra.

Hope that helps!

I feel the same way. I mean, I could easily eat that many extra calories if it came from something unhealthy but with vegetables, fruits, protein shakes, etc. I feel so damn full!

I'll have to look into an HRM. The bike says one thing, MFP says another, web searches are all over the place! But the one common thing is to get an HRM (never considered before).

jwdieter

Don't trust the MFP calorie-burn estimator... It's wayyyyy inaccurate!

If it's THAT inaccurate, then I should probably still aim for the 2100 base calories, no?

Are you a pretty big guy? Like 6'4 260 or so? At that size you might be burning a pretty hefty load of calories, and just eating 2100 could be pretty rough.

jovalleau

Don't trust the MFP calorie-burn estimator... It's wayyyyy inaccurate!

If it's THAT inaccurate, then I should probably still aim for the 2100 base calories, no?

Are you a pretty big guy? Like 6'4 260 or so? At that size you might be burning a pretty hefty load of calories, and just eating 2100 could be pretty rough.

I'm 6'3, right at about 260-70 right now, so yeah.

seaandsun85

Question

When I use the BMR tool on MFP it says I use about 1440 calories a day. However, I noticed under the settings and goals tab, that it is saying I use 1800 calories a day. According to that math, if I eat 1200 calories I will have a deficit of 600 calories. However, if the calculator MFP has is right my deficit is only 200 calories which wouldn't even add up to 1lb a week. Does MFP go under 1200 calories? How come it says I need 1800 a day when the calculator on here said 1440?

Thanks!

AzGilrock

Question

When I use the BMR tool on MFP it says I use about 1440 calories a day. However, I noticed under the settings and goals tab, that it is saying I use 1800 calories a day. According to that math, if I eat 1200 calories I will have a deficit of 600 calories. However, if the calculator MFP has is right my deficit is only 200 calories which wouldn't even add up to 1lb a week. Does MFP go under 1200 calories? How come it says I need 1800 a day when the calculator on here said 1440?

Thanks!

I hadn't seen the BMR calculator but I just checked it out and it says thats the number of calories you need to function if you were to lay in bed all day. When you are planning your diet calorie budget I believe you click a button that says how active you are and it calculates a number based on that input. So the 1800 number is probably closer to what you burn during normal activity assuming you do some amount of moving around every day. I wouldn't go below 1200 because you would probably end up feeling bad and not being able to stick with it.